Thirtysix Weeks And Counting
by themindofmine
Summary: The baby is coming in four weeks and things are going to get a little sticky around the Leverage office and the Spencer/Hawks household so hold on.
1. Chapter 1

Thirty Six Weeks

And

Counting

Chapter One

(Week Thirty-six)

Eliot came home to an empty apartment. A very clean but empty apartment. He threw his bag by the door and checked the bedrooms, bathrooms and storage room. There was no sign of Kenna. She hadn't know he was on his way home but lately she was always there to greet him with a smile, among other things. He headed back out the door and downstairs to the bar. She wasn't there either.

"Hey Mike, have you seen Kenna?" Eliot asked the bartender.

"Yeah, she was headed out back after the lunch rush. She helped play catch up and then headed out."

"Thanks." Eliot shook his head. The woman was eight months pregnant and she was still helping Mike bus tables. He headed into the back room and found no sign of Kenna except the room was spotless and the liquor bottles were straighter and in alphabetical order.

"She's in the garage." Nate came around the corner.

"How do you know?"

"Because that's the only place she hasn't cleaned yet." He looked at Eliot. "Tell her thanks for getting the gummy frogs off the sofa cushions." Pouring a cup of coffee Nate sat at the table with his news paper.

"Yeah, no problem." Eliot headed out the back door and to the garage that house their vehicles. Kenna stood on a stool with the hood of the truck open. She had a wrench in her right hand and she was swearing at something she was trying to tighten. "Hey darlin' that truck has been nothin' but good to you so you better watch what you call her." Kenna turned around so quickly she lost her balance on the stool and if Eliot hadn't been as quick as he was she would of fallen ass over tea kettle on the cement floor. She looked up into his eyes and smiled.

"Hey cowboy, long time no see." He leaned over and kissed her. It had only been three days but he had missed waking up with her in his arms.

"What are you doing?"

"The truck had a rattle."

"Why are you even driving the truck, I told you to use the Charger."

"Little problem fitting behind the steering wheel and getting out of it is more of a challenger then getting in the truck." Kenna pushed away from him and went back to tuning up the truck.

"I guess we could go look for a minivan." Was barley out of Eliot's mouth before the wrench came flying at him. He ducked just in time. "I take that as a no on the minivan." He said under his breath. She looked over her shoulder.

"Ya think." Hardison said as he came into the garage. Kenna went back under the hood. "Here's those papers you wanted and I'm getting the hell out before she starts throwing the sledge hammer." He turned and left Eliot standing there, pretty much not knowing what to do or what to say. Walking up behind Kenna he wrapped his arms around her, running his hands over her extended belly. The baby kicked and fluttered inside her. Kenna closed her eyes.

"She loves when you do that." Kenna let her head fall back against his shoulder.

"We have four weeks till she's finally here." He whispered in her ear.

"Nothing better get in the way of you being here with us."

"Nate wouldn't let that happen Kenna." Kissing her neck he ran her hands over her belly. "I think maybe we should go upstairs and warm up." He growled.

"I have to finish the truck Eliot." She pushed off him and stood. "The Celtics play at seven." He shook his head.

"You'd take fixing the truck and a Celtics game over me?" Eliot pouted.

"I didn't say what we were going to do for the half time show." She smiled and went back to fixing the truck.

"Kenna Shane what am I gonna do with you?" He said as he turned to leave. Four weeks till their whole life would change. For weeks till their daughter was born. Eliot looked back one last time at the woman who had stolen his heart. Four weeks. It seemed a lifetime.

o/o/o/o/o/o/o

"Eliot?" Sophie caught him going into the bar.

"Yeah, Soph."

"We need to discuss something."

"Now?"

"Yes now. The baby is due in four weeks and we haven't even talked about the baby shower."

"Baby shower?"

"You know the party with gifts for the child being born in four weeks." Sophie sounded exasperated.

"I know what a baby shower is Sophie, I just didn't…think that Kenna would be comfortable with all those people fussing over her. She barley lets me get her a glass of water."

"So you were just going to skip it?"

"I hadn't really thought about it."

"We need to call Clara and Jodi and see when they can get here. Hardison can book their flights as early as tomorrow but we need more time to plan." Eliot looked at the older woman.

"I missed you." He said.

"I haven't gone anywhere Eliot."

"Yeah, Sophie you were gone for a really long time." She looked at him.

"I was, wasn't I?" Smiling Eliot nodded.

"Welcome back." He told her. "Talk to Nate and see what he's got for cases and plan it around that. Just don't say I didn't warn you if Kenna goes off the deep end." Eliot continued his journey back to his apartment. Parker was waiting at his front door. "What happened to the twenty four hour rule Parker?"

"I need some help." She looked almost pitiful.

"This can't wait?"

"No." She looked serious.

"What do you need help with?" He unlocked the door.

"I want to cook Hardison dinner and…I can't even boil water."

"You need help with this now because?"

"Okay I'm not sure on my calculations but I think it might be some kind of anniversary thing tonight."

"You think?"

"Well it's kinda fuzzy on when we first started…dating or whatever it is we're doing."

"Just order take out and pop in some Star Trek movie and it will be just as great."

"Would you do that for Kenna?" Eliot looked at Parker. He let out a long breath.

"Spaghetti is your best option. Come in and I'll show you how to boil the water for the noodles and I have a couple of jars of my homemade sauce in the cupboard."

"Thank you." She squealed and hugged him. "You're the best."

"So I've been told." He went to the kitchen to show Parker how to make dinner without burning down the kitchen.

0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0

Kenna let the water run down her body and closed her eyes. She hadn't been sleeping much because Faith wouldn't let her. The child must be more Eliot than her because the minute she laid down at night the child started kicking her ribs like she wanted out now. She had tried everything from sitting up to lying on the floor but the second Kenna relaxed the baby decided to play.

"This better not be a habit little one." Kenna ran her hand down her stomach. "I like my sleep too much." Finishing her shower and getting dressed she found Eliot still in the kitchen with Parker, showing her the finer points of garlic bread. She smiled. It was nice to see the Eliot she had grown up with come back now and then. Seeing him showing Parker things always brought back memories of the things he taught her as a child.

"Hey, sorry we got a little carried away." Eliot said looking up from the stove.

"It's okay. We have twenty minutes before the game starts."

"At least dinner is made." Parker smiled. "Thanks Eliot." She grabbed her bottle of sauce off the counter. "See you tomorrow Kenna." The thief slipped out of the door and Kenna slid onto the bar stool.

"Sorry I missed the shower." Eliot said as he turned the sauce down. He hadn't noticed how tired she had looked earlier. "Are you okay?" He turned off the sauce.

"Yeah, just a little tired."

"When was the last time you slept?" He went around the counter.

"I can't remember." Kenna whispered.

"Why?"

"She isn't a sleeper apparently." She ran her hand down her stomach. Eliot lifted her chin.

"Let's get you fed and into bed. Screw the basketball game."

"Eliot, I like your way of thinking." Kenna smiled.

"Sleep, Kenna, sleep." She shook her head.

"Nothing makes me sleep better than having you make love to me first." Kenna pulled him close.

"You're exhausted baby. Get some rest. There's time for all that later." He kissed her.

"Please…." She whispered. He could never say no to her. Taking her hand he lead her to their bedroom and kissed her again.

"You should just crawl under the cover and sleep darlin'." He said as he slid off her t-shirt.

"I missed you." She leaned over and kissed him and forgot about the how tired she was. Taking over she tore at his clothing despetly.

"Hey, darlin' we have all night." He laid her down on the bed and took off his shirt and slid off his jeans. Kenna slid off her pajama pants. Eliot knew she wouldn't make it past more than some heavy petting and she would fall asleep. Pulling her up he tossed back the blankets and laid her down next and joined her.

"I love you." She looked into his eyes. The baby felt her laying horizontal and decided to start dancing on her ribs. Kenna flinched.

"Has she been doing that a lot?" Eliot ran his hand down her abdomen. The kicking subsided and there was only light fluttering.

"Every time I lay down. That's the first time she stopped." Eliot took his hand off her stomach and the kicking started again. "I think you calm her down." Kenna took his hand and put it back against her bare skin. Again the kicking slowed and then the fluttering again. She moved it away and the baby kicked. Putting it back she closed her eyes and was able to relax for the first time in days.

"Sleep Kenna." Eliot pulled her into his arms and laid his hand firmly on her stomach. She was asleep within seconds. His hand stroked her. "You gotta stop giving your mom a hard time." He whispered. "She needs her rest to." He closed his eyes. Four weeks. She might keep them up all night then too but at least he could be there to hold her and feed her and keep her safe while her mother slept.


	2. Chapter 2

Thirty Six Weeks

And

Counting

(Week Thirty-seven)

Eliot sat in the airport terminal waiting for the plane from Kentucky to land. He was excited to see Jodi, his mom and Sarah but he felt a little awkward too. Since coming back into his life Kenna had been closer to his mother and sister than he had. He knew the reasons. Knew why he had to keep himself a little closed off from them but they didn't know. It was frustrating sometimes; keeping the last twenty years from the people his departure affected the most. But somehow they understood.

"You okay Sparky?" Parker sat next to him.

"Yeah. Are you sure Kenna doesn't know about this thing?" He said, not looking at her.

"I would hope not. Sophie planned it in like a day while we were in Kansas." Parker shifted and sat with her legs under her. "I know I'm not your go to guy when it comes to sharing but something's bothering you."

"I don't like keeping secrets from Kenna."

"It's a party Eliot. She can't get mad over a party." Eliot looked over at Parker.

"You do know who we are talking about here. I got home last night and she bit my head off for chewing my gum too loud. I didn't have any gum in my mouth." Parker snorted.

"Sorry, I just can't see her mad for no reason."

"Oh she does lately. If she takes you all out for this don't say I didn't warn you." He watched the people come in and out of the terminal. It was a time when he lived in terminals like this one. Off to God knows where on the spur of the moment.

"It'll be okay Eliot. Kenna loves you and that baby so much." He looked at her.

"Hardison loves you too, you know that right?"

"Yeah, he really got a kick out of the whole spaghetti thing last week." Parker looked down at her shoes. "I know we'll never be epic like you and Kenna and Nate and Sophie but it works for us.

"Epic?"

"You know Nate and Sophie spent years playing cat and mouse in the art world and you and Kenna spent all those years apart. That's epic when you come together."

"What thief finds hacker isn't epic enough for you?" She smiled.

"It'll do in a pinch." Looking up Parker saw Sarah across the terminal. "Incoming!" She bounded up and ran toward the girl. Eliot shook his head. It was going to be a long weekend.

o/o/o/o/o/o/o/oo/o/o/o

"What are we doing Nate?" Kenna sat across from him at a little diner on the east side.

"A little recon and enjoying the best coffee in Boston." He looked across the street to the pawn shop the mark they were working on frequented.

"I'm not someone you can con Nathan Ford. You should know that by now."

"I needed to get away from Sophie you needed some coffee and to get away from Eliot's hovering. Win, win." He took a sip of his coffee. "He wants to get married before the baby comes."

"He told you that?"

"I can see it is the way he does things Kenna. I think he's really truly thinking you're going to have this baby and be on the next plane out of town."

"So if we're married I can't run? He's not as smart as I thought he was." She took a sip of her coffee and closed her eyes savoring the warmth and bitterness. "Do you think I'm going to run?"

"I think that you love him so much it scares you. That you want this so bad and everything you ever wanted was taken away so you feel like you have to walk away first."

"You know me pretty well."

"I know Eliot and the two of you are two sides of the same coin Kenna." Nate looked up and saw the mark go into the pawn shop. "Care to plant a few doubts while we're in the neighborhood?" Kenna looked at Nate.

"Sure, what else do I have to do on a Saturday?" Nate handed her a ring and Kenna turned on her ear bud. "Wish me luck." She headed across the street.

"Eliot, you in position?" Nate asked.

"Yeah, I'm around the corner. Kenna?"

"Almost in the door." She smiled as she opened the door and headed in. The burly man standing behind the counter looked up from his conversation with the mark in the suit.

"Be with you in a minute honey." Kenna nodded and went about looking in display cases.

"Three cameras, all low teck. Two motion detectors even lower teck and a shotgun under the register…defiantly no teck." She said softly. "Going in for the kill." Kenna announced as she faux tripped landing against the mark dropping the ring she held in her hand. "I am so sorry…I'm such a klutz lately." She planted the tracker in the man's collar and stood straight. He picked up the ring for her and studied it.

"I believe this is yours." He smiled and handed it to her. "It's very beautiful."

"Thank you. It was my grandmother's."

"You're not thinking of selling it?"

"I have to." Pushing back her coat reveling her expanded waistline. "My boyfriend was killed in a car accident. I'm kind of strapped for cash." The man nodded in understanding.

"I'm sorry. A woman as beautiful as you shouldn't have such worries." The man's hand grazed Kenna's stomach.

"Eliot back off." Nate said, seeing the hitter round the corner. "She's got this." Eliot shook his head. He couldn't believe Nate talked him into this. Taking three steps back he ran into Parker.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He whispered.

"Everyone's waiting." She said softly so Kenna couldn't here.

"What do you want me to do about it? We're a little busy Parker." Eliot turned his attention back to the pawn shop.

"As much business as I do with my…colleague here I would like to steal your business from him and buy the ring myself." The mark said smoothly. "How is eight thousand dollars?"

"It's worth twelve." She said.

"But if you thought you would get that, this is the last place you would of come to." He smiled. She nodded.

"Then I guess I'm lucky I ran into you." He handed her his card.

"My office tomorrow. I will have the cash for you then." Kenna nodded and watch the man leave. The burly man looked at her.

"He isn't what he seems lady." The man told her. Kenna looked at him and smiled.

"I know." She went to the counter and put two crisp hundred dollar bills and a piece of paper with a phone number on it on the counter. "There's more in it for you if you call me when he comes in with something more interesting than my ring."

"You got it." Kenna smiled and headed out the door and down the street toward Eliot. He grabbed her and pulled her into the ally. He had to see for himself that she was in one piece.

"I'm okay." She said softly.

"I know. I just had to see for myself." He pushed her against the wall and kissed her. "You did good in there."

"Thanks." She looked at him. "Let's go home." Nate pulled into the ally and picked them both up.

"Great job Kenna." He said.

"Thanks Nate. Even ready to give birth I still got it." She smiled and leaned back against the seat. Eliot shook his head.

"Can't say her ego has deflated any." She chuckled.

"You like my inflated everything Spencer." It was Nate's turn to look embarrassed.

"Over sharing people."

0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/

Nate parked at the back door of the bar. Eliot helped Kenna out and they walked down the alley. Eliot wasn't so sure this was a good idea. She was in a pretty good mood after the whole pawn shop thing and he hopped it would carry over in what was about to happen.

"What's wrong?" Kenna said before they got to the door.

"Nothing." He kissed her. "I love you."

"I love you too and you're hiding something Eliot James Spencer, I can tell by the look in those damn blue eyes of yours." Nate was at the door and looked up.

"You two going to fight out in the cold or would you like some coco?" Kenna turned to him.

"Something wrong with him too…Nate never offers coco unless something's wrong."

"Kenna just come on, you're being paranoid."

"You like me when I'm paranoid…it saved your ass more than once." She pushed away from him and headed into the building.

"Incoming." Eliot said as she pushed Nate aside and flung open the door.

"SURPISE!" Kenna was greeted with thirty or so woman and Sarah screaming at the top of their lungs. She wasn't quite sure of her take on what was in front of her. Pink everywhere. Balloons, streamers plates and piñatas all in pink.

"You okay with this?" She heard Eliot from behind her.

"If I say no will you take me out of here?"

"Sophie wanted to make up being so rude to you for most of your pregnancy and Parker…well Parker even found a pink baby hippo piñata just for you." She felt his hands on her shoulders and felt the warmth of his touch. If she didn't do this it would be awkward and a waste of a really nice looking cake.

"Okay, but if they start wrapping toilet paper around my stomach I am so out of here." She stepped into the room smiling at all the greetings.

"That's my girl." Eliot said headed to the bar with Nate and Hardison to have a really stiff drink.

0/0/0/0/0/0/

"The second I push the baby out you owe me a whole lotta tequila and week in Maui." Kenna said as she plopped down on the couch next to him. Eliot looked up from his book.

"I take it the baby shower was everything you weren't expecting?"

"It was a nice thought." Kenna laid her head on his shoulder. "I really liked having your mom and your sister there. Sarah too."

"I'm glad." Kenna looked at him. "Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah, anything."

"Do you want to get married before the baby's born?" He looked surprised.

"It's all up to you darlin'."

"I suck at big ticket decisions Eliot, you know that. You tell me if it's important."

"Kenna, you know marring you is what I want whether it be now or after the baby is born as long as we get it done before we die." Kenna smiled.

"I do love you Eliot Spencer." She leaned over and kissed him. "We have a poker room full of baby stuff just waiting to be hauled up here."

"I'll recruit Hardison to help me tomorrow."

"We have to reel in the mark tomorrow."

"I think somewhere between breakfast and busting a lowlife antique dealer I will find time to hall up diapers and whatever else is waiting down there." He hugged her close. "I'm sorry they surprised you like that."

"It's okay. I really didn't mind." Kenna kissed him one more time and stood. "There is a nice hot shower with my name on." She grabbed his hands. "Join me?"

"Yeah. Let me lock up and I'll meet you in there." He stood, kissed her and let her go.

"Don't be long." She turned and headed into the bedroom. Eliot watched her. Taking a deep breath he headed to the door to lock it and set the alarm. Heading back to the bedroom he found Kenna lying on the bed, naked.

"That is so not the shower."

"Didn't quite make it." She smiled.

"I see that." He slipped of his boots as he pulled his shirt over his head. "You do know that my mother, sister and niece are just downstairs right." He asked her.

"Are you implying something Spencer?"

"I'm just sayin' you get kinda loud and I don't want my family thinking I'm marrin' some kind of sex fiend." He slid off his jeans and kicked them in the corner.

"You are marring some kind of sex fiend." She pulled him next to her and kissed him. She ran her hands down his face and arms. "I love you Eliot." She whispered.

"Show me." He growled. Kenna smiled.

"Now who's the sex fiend?" She kissed her way down his chest. He kept his hands curled in the sheets. She had to smile. Eliot was always trying to be the one in control even when he was trying to give it up to her. Her lips made their way down his naked chest and lower. The feel of her warm breath over his hard length was nearly his undoing. Her lips on him felt like nothing he ever felt before. Her tongue moved over him and he let out a long groan. Her teeth grazed him and sent shivers up his spine. Her hands moving to cup him.

"Ahhhh Kenna…"

"Now who's the one making noise?" She whispered and went back to the loving attention she was giving to his hard shaft. Kenna felt him give up his control when his hands left the bed and stroked her hair. Taking him slowly into her mouth one last time before she kissed her way back up his body and sheathed him in her hot heat Kenna looked into his eyes. What she saw was nearly her undoing. "Eliot…"

"Finish it." He whispered and ran his hand behind her neck and pulled her down into a mind blowing, heart stopping kiss. Kenna mover her hips as he smothered her moans with his kisses. He moved his other hand between her legs and took her over the edge just before he tumbled over it with her. He stayed connected to her as he shifted to his side laying her next to him. Kenna curled up into him and kissed his neck. He clung to her letting his breathing slow before he said too much. Kenna kissed him one last time and pulled out of his embrace. "Kenna…" Getting up she walked to the window seat and pulled off the cushion. The safe that was installed in there a few months back was nothing special or overly safe but it was just there for anything they might need to hide quickly and quietly. She opened it and took out a box.

"Burn it." She said. Tossing it on the bed next to Eliot she went into the bathroom without another word.

Eliot watched her close the door and then looked at the box. As he heard the shower turn on he opened it. He had never seen what it contained but always knew it existed. He took out the pass ports, about sixteen if not more…then the driver licenses, over fifty…credit cards, cash and three cell phones. It was her escape. The tools she needed for a fast exit. Not that she couldn't get one or two ID's at a moment's notice but this was there so she could leave when she needed or wanted to. Giving this to him meant that she didn't want to do either…ever.

"Kenna Shane, I love you." He whispered. Getting up he didn't bother with pulling on any clothes. He went into the living room and kneeled in front of the fireplace he lit the kindling and started a fire. He tossed the cash out of the box onto the coffee table and put the box on top of the burning wood. Hearing her at the door he looked up.

"I'm yours forever now. You're stuck with me for the rest of your life Eliot Spencer." She said softly.

"That's what I've wanted since as long as I could remember." He stood up. Kenna went and stood behind him pressing her body against his back and put her chin on his shoulder. She closed her eyes. "You do know you're stuck with me too."

"Yeah, well I think I can live with that." She smiled. He turned and took her into his arms and they watched her past burn a path to their future. "I love you Eliot James."

"Not as much as I love you Kenna Shane." Eliot knew she was in it for keeps now. Whatever she had seen in him tonight had changed her mind. He wasn't even sure what it was himself but he was glad she now felt that they had a future. Lifting her up he carried her back to bed and showed her how long he was in it for.


	3. Chapter 3

Thirty Six Weeks

And

Counting

(Week Thirty-eight)

"You have got to be kidding me." Eliot looked at Parker and Hardison.

"It just happened." Parker said quietly.

"It just happened? There's a Texas size hole in my wall." He looked at the two of them.

"Kenna said you needed the couch moved." Hardison informed him.

"Where were you trying to move it to, the next friggin' building?"

"We were just trying to help. We knew the two of you needed some time before the baby came and …oh just forget it; I'll fix your damn wall." Parker stormed out.

"She's been a titch touchy lately." Hardison informed him.

"Sorry to hear that but I have a huge hole in my wall. Through my wall Hardison. It is snowing in my dining room."

"I'll call somebody…"

"Yeah, you'll call somebody all right." He took a step forward and Hardison ran out the door. Kenna stood in the bedroom door way.

"They were just trying to help."

"Not you too Kenna Shane. I'm not in the mood." He looked at her, arms crossed over her ever growing breasts, his flannel shirt pulled tautly over her belly and her leggings hugging her thighs like a second skin.

"Hard day at the office Spencer?"

"Damn right. What do you want for dinner?" He stormed into the kitchen and grabbed an icepack from the freezer and put it on his elbow.

"Pizza, the Celtics and you." She came behind him and rubbed his shoulders. "Not necessarily in that order.

"The doctor said last week you should take it easy."

"The doctor said as long as I feel up to it sex is perfectly fine till my water breaks."

"And that's suppose to be a picture that makes me want to have my dick inside you?" He smiled.

"You are a bad man Eliot Spencer. I've carried your child inside me for nine long months and you won't give into this one little whim." He turned and took her in his arms.

"Baby I gave into your whim six times this week and it's only Tuesday." He kissed her. "If women don't hit their sexual peak till nearly forty I think you may kill me when you get there. If not before." He picked up his phone and pressed a button. "Hey Jack, it's Eliot Spencer, can you send me the usual and put it on Kenna's tab?" She shook her head. "Thanks, and send a special and a six pack to Hardison's…he's going to be working late tonight." Eliot hung up the phone. "You have forty-five minutes to curb your other appetite before the pizza gets here because you're not scaring that poor delivery boy again by answering the door in nothing but a sheet."

"Best tip he ever got." She said as she kneeled down in front of him.

"Oh, no you don't." He pulled her up. "In case you haven't noticed the huge gaping hole in the wall you are not taking my Johnson out of my jeans unless the temperature is above seventy degrees."

"You have gotten soft in your old age Eliot."

"You're not too old for a spanking Kenna."

"Promises…promises. " Kenna took his hand and lead him into the nice toasty warm bedroom to show him just how hot she could make a room.

o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/

Eliot and Kenna laid in bed with a pizza, a six pack and a gallon of orange soda, the basketball game on and neither one of them really paying attention who was winning. Kenna hadn't bothered to get dressed so she lay with the sheet pulled over her breasts and her head on Eliot's thigh.

"Did you ever think this is where we would end up?" She asked him.

"I never thought I'd be sharing a bed with you let alone eating pizza naked in one with you." He smiled.

"I mean it. When you left Kentucky…did you want this?"

"I wanted you. I wanted to make you see that family wasn't all bad. Then I started doing things a little left of honest and I figured that wasn't what you needed. I wanted to give you what your mama never could and when things went south I couldn't bring myself to ruin what little faith you had left in me so I never came back." Kenna looked at him.

"The night in the barn, when I asked you to take my virginity you were so hard to read. I didn't know if I screwed up our friendship or I scared the living hell out of you."

"The later I assure you." He ran his hand over her hair. "I couldn't believe you wanted me to be the first."

"I wanted you to be the only."

"I can't lie, I wanted that too." He looked at her. "I can live with being the first and being the last." She smiled. Turning she moved the pizza off the bed and settled between his legs with her back toward him. Kenna pulled the blanket up over them and she turned up the game. "Did I say something wrong?" He said. She shook her head.

"No Eliot…you said something right." She laid her hands on his that were resting on her belly and closed her eyes.

"Kenna what's wrong?" Kenna gripped his hands.

"Just a little some twinges."

"Kenna your gripping my hands a little harder than just a twinge."

"I'm fine." She whispered. Eliot held her close.

"Don't be afraid to tell me if something's not right Kenna." She nodded.

"I'm tired." She said softly.

"Why don't we go to bed?"

"Please don't leave." She rolled over on her side and snuggled against him. Eliot wasn't going anywhere.

"Do I have a choice?" He stroked her hair.

"Nope." That was the last thing she said before she fell asleep. Eliot closed his eyes. He had been letting his guard down a lot lately and he was thinking that it wasn't such a bad thing anymore.

o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o

"I fixed your wall, are you happy?" Parker stood up when Eliot came though the bedroom door the next morning.

"I would have been happier if you hadn't of put the hole in it in the first place." He ruffled her hair.

"SORRY!" She screeched.

"Inside voice Parker." Kenna said as she came out of the bedroom. She kissed Eliot on the cheek. "Doctors appointment in thirty minutes." Grabbing a cup she headed for the coffee pot. Parker squeaked and reached for the cup. "Oh no you don't. This is my one and only vice other than the man standing next to you so back off." Eliot's eyebrows rose. Parker twisted off her stool and stormed out the door.

"I think you pissed her off." Eliot told her.

"Really? You think." Kenna grabbed her bag off the coat rack. "You coming?"

"I know your kinda moody before your coffee but you just kinda hurt Parker's feelings."

"And I will deal with Parker when we get back." She grabbed the truck keys and threw them to him. "Let's go, we're going to be late."

"If we are does that mean I don't have to sit in the waiting room with twenty emotionally unstable women?" Kenna hit the down button.

"No, but it does mean you have to ride down an elevator and ride twenty minutes in a vehicle with an emotionally unstable woman that carries a knife and is going to push your eight pound baby out of her body so suck it up buttercup." Eliot almost thought the steps would be safer at this point.

"Did something happen between you going to sleep and you waking up this morning that put you in this foul ass mood or is it just my company." The elevator opened and Kenna got in. Eliot wasn't sure it was safe to go in the small car with Kenna at this moment. She crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"Just get in the elevator Eliot." He got in a pressed the first floor button. "I just don't feel…comfortable right now."

"Okay, but you can't take it out on me and Parker. Me, maybe but not Parker."

"I'm sorry." Kenna closed her eyes. "I promise I will apologize to her the minute we get back." She took a deep breath and it really was getting harder. Her back hurt and it seemed like she was more tired than she has ever been.

"It all be over in a few weeks."

"Then we won't get any sleep…ever." Eliot put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close.

"Luckily I don't sleep much either." The door opened and they headed out to another doctor's appointment. Two more weeks and he cold kiss the uncomfortable chairs and the old magazines good-bye.

o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/

"Everything looks good Kenna. Your cervix is softening and she's turned nicely." Dr. Baker smiled at them. "Any complaints? Concerns?"

"The last few days I've been kind of cranky. Everything hurts and I have some twinges of pain now and then."

"It's normal. Just take it easy and get some rest." The older woman smiled. "Call me if you have any questions Kenna. I know this is a big change for you and even if you need to talk, just call." The doctor left the room.

"See, it's all normal." Eliot held her hand, it no real hurry to leave the quiet of the exam room.

"I just…it was like overnight I lost control. My breasts and back are killing me and I feel like I could sleep for a week." He had been reading more books on pregnancy than he cared to admit so he knew what to expect and he thought she would of too but Kenna was a different kind of woman. She and endured more in her lifetime than any one person should and this was just one more thing that made her stronger. She didn't know how to be weak.

"I know it's tough baby but you gotta listen to your body and if it tells you to slow down, you have to listen."

"Coming from the man who goes out looking for a fight for a living."

"Get dressed sassy mouth. You have an apology and lunch to get to."

"I hate you Eliot Spencer." He threw her jeans at her.

"Keep it up Kenna Shane and you'll be walkin' home."

o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o

"Have you seen Parker?" Hardison was sitting at the desk in Nate's apartment when Kenna and Eliot came back from the doctor.

"Haven't seen her since breakfast." He mumbled.

"Nate?"

"Client meeting."

"Did I piss you off too?" Hardison looked up from his file.

"What? Oh hey Kenna. Not that I know of. Try your apartment."

"Parker or Nate?" Kenna asked.

"Parker. She was having baby hippo withdrawal." Kenna nodded.

"Carry on." She told him and headed up stairs. Kenna found Parker on the day bed surrounded by stuffed animals. She was clinging to the big pink baby hippo that she had picked out especially for the baby shower. "Hey Parker." Kenna said softly.

"I'm sorry." She set down the hippo and started to leave.

"Hey, you have nothing to be sorry for." Kenna touched the younger woman's arm. "I'm the one who should be sorry Parker. I woke up this morning and I was eight and a half months pregnant and felt it. I have gone through the last few months feeling fine and this morning the whole thing hit me like a ton of bricks and you just happened to be in the line of fire. You and Eliot."

"I did let the couch got through your wall."

"And you fixed it." Kenna smiled. "Just don't get between me and my coffee."

"I just read somewhere it's bad for the baby and…I guess I was just trying to help."

"I know, and thank you for that but its one cup, once a day."

"You know you can't drink or anything if you're going to breast feed." Parker added.

"Thank you Parker, I promise I will not drink and breast feed." Kenna smiled.

"I was just trying to be a friend."

"You are. You are a great friend. And you're going to make a great aunt." The baby kicked and Kenna took Parker's hand and put it where she was moving around.

"Is that really her? Is that Faith?" Parker's eyes got wide. Kenna couldn't believe she had gone this long without letting the younger woman feel the baby inside her.

"Yeah Parker that's Faith." Eliot stood at the door. Parker's eyes were as big as sauces as she felt his daughter move inside her mother. He wondered what life would have been like if Nate hadn't brought them together three years ago? How boring his life might have been without Parker in it. And without Parker, Kenna might not have come back into his life. Smiling he took the step into the baby's room.

"Can I have the honor of taking my three best girls to lunch?" At the sound of her father's voice the baby kicked Kenna harder, in turn kicking Parker's hand right off her belly.

"Oh, did you see that?" Parker looked at them. Kenna laughed and Eliot smiled.

"Her daddy does that too her." Kenna answered. "Lunch sounds good. As long as it doesn't have anything to do with rice I'm up for anything."

"Tacos?" Parker asked hopefully.

"Tacos it is." Eliot said as he lead the two women out the door. Yeah, Eliot decided, life would be pretty boring without Parker and really lonely without Kenna.


	4. Chapter 4

Thirty Six Weeks

And

Counting

(Week Thirty-nine)

Kenna sat in the waiting room of the doctor's offices alone for the first time since she found out she was pregnant. Eliot had promised he would meet her there after he finished up a job for Nate. She hoped he came in less beat up looking than he did after the last few jobs. Kenna closed her eyes ran her hand over her belly. Faith kicked and Kenna smiled. She had a name now and soon she would be born and reality would set in. For weeks they went back and forth about the little girl's name. Nothing Eliot chose suited Kenna and nothing she picked excited him. He said it had to have a flow to it and nothing either of them picked had what he was going for. Then one night just after New Year's Eliot had come home extremely battered and bruised.

_(Flashback)_

"_Damn it Kenna Shane, take it easy." He growled at her as she put more pressure against his cracked ribs than she had meant to._

"_Sorry." She said as she leaned into him and put another piece of tap carefully on his wrapped ribs. _

"_Clementine?" He whispered._

"_Charlotte?" She countered._

"_Cheyenne?" Eliot tried again. Kenna shook her head. _

"_You slept with Cheyenne in the tenth grade."_

"_How do you remember that?"_

"_Because I tried to make a voodoo doll of her when I caught you in the barn on prom night." She meant to pull tight on the wrap this time around. Eliot painfully sucked in a breath. Kenna put away the bandages and antiseptic. Eliot watched her stiff movements and knew she was pissed. Slamming the medicine cabinet door she went to the bedroom._

"_Kenna come on, I don't even remember what she looked like." He went into the bedroom and found her in bed with her back to him. "Kenna…" He shook his head. Eliot hadn't been much of anything but a friend to her then but a few short months later he would be her everything. Kenna had faith in him back the and by having his baby and marring him she had that same faith in him now. He got into beds and put his arms around her pulling her back against his chest. "Faith Valentine Spencer." He whispered in her ear. She turned her head._

"_Faith…Valentine…Spencer." Kenna smiled. The baby kicked her hand. "I think she likes it." She snuggled into him._

"_Let's keep the Valentine part a secret so we can surprise Parker." He said as they drifted into a much needed sleep._

_(Present)_

"Is this your first?" Kenna broke out of her thoughts and looked at the younger woman next to her.

"What, oh yes, it is."

"Do you know what you're having?" The woman continued her friendly questioning.

"A girl." The woman smiled.

"I find out today. " The girl answered excitedly. Kenna had to be a little jealous. To be young and expecting she might have had a differ outlook on life. Running her hand down her belly Kenna looked at the girl.

"That's great." The door opened and Kenna looked up expecting to see Eliot walking in the waiting room but it was another man. She felt the girl next to her tense as the man scanned the large waiting room. Leaning to her left she turned her ear bud on.

"_Eliot where are you?" She whispered._

"In the parking garage, I'll be there in five."

"_Make it three."_

"Trouble?"

"_God I hope not." Eliot stepped up the pace and ran to the stairs_.

"Talk to me Kenna." She was silent but he could hear voices. "Hardison, I need eyes in Kenna's doctor's office."

"_Who do you think I am Big Brother?"_

"I thought you were better than that guy?" Eliot growled.

"_Now that's what I'm talking about." Hardison said. "Video to your phone in three, two and action." Eliot was standing at the door of the doctor's office. He looked at the video feed on his phone. _

"Son of a bitch."

"_Eliot, is that a bomb strapped to that dudes chest?" Hardison asked._

"Yeah, Hardison. That's a bomb." Eliot closed his eyes and leaned against the wall. "Can you get anything from Kenna's com?"

"_It went off line right after she talked to you." Eliot looked at the feed. _

"She's relaxed so whoever that guy is, he isn't gone completely off the rails yet. He's behind the door so if I go…"

"_Eliot…don't do anything stupid." Nate's voice said into his ear._

"It'll just look like a guy late meeting his girlfriend. I rush the door and I'm in."

"_And he blows up a medical building."_

"Nate, he's still pretty calm. If I wait any long this could go south really fast."

"_We're headed to you. Wait till we get there."_

"I'm sorry Nate, that's my life sittin' in there with a crazy man with a shit load of C4 strapped to his chest. I get in there and you find away to evacuate the building."

"_Be careful." Nate said knowing Eliot was right._

"I'm I anything but?" He said as he reached for the knob and opened in the door. "Hey, sorry I'm late." He was breathing like he had run all the way from the parking garage. He counted the woman in the room in various stages of pregnancy. Kenna shook her head. "What?" Eliot turned around. "Hey man." Eliot looked at the man.

"_Eliot, his name is Private First Class Dayton Wilder. He was stationed in Iraq till six weeks ago when he was called home when his wife went into premature labor. Dr. Cole, Kenna's doctor's partner was her doctor. She died last week. So did the baby." Eliot looked at the man._

"What going on?" He asked the man.

"Go sit down." Wilder motioned to Eliot. He went to sit on the other side of Kenna. "Somebody better get Dr. Cole here now." The man looked at the nurse behind the desk.

"Dr. Cole is delivering a baby at Boston General." The nurse said nervously.

"Eliot you need to get a handle on this." Nate said.

"Really?" He whispered. "Hey man why don't you let these women go." Eliot stood.

"Sit back down." The man took a step forward.

"You're scaring them." Eliot stood between the man and most of the women. He had slid a button cam on his jacket before he went into the office.

"Eliot there is more than enough C4 on that vest to blow up a city block." Hardison informed him. Eliot took a deep breath.

"What do you want with Cole?" Eliot asked.

"What do you care?"

"You got me and eighteen pregnant women held hostage with enough C4 to blow up the block. I really want to know what you want with Dr. Cole."

"Have you ever met the man?"

"Can't say that I have. Dr. Baker is my girlfriend's doctor."

"He's an arrogant prick who thinks he's god gift to gynecology and obstetrics." Wilder swung his hand with the bombs detonator in it. A few of the woman in the room nodded.

"Glad she picked the woman doctor." Eliot said.

"My wife went in to labor six weeks early. It took them two hours to find him, when they did he should have never been able to operate on her. He had been at a Christmas party."

"You wife didn't make it?" Eliot already knew the answer but he knew he had to get the guy talking.

"No, she died last week. The baby too."

"I'm sorry man." Eliot watched the man's movement. "Let the women go. They all have every reason to live and if something should happen to them…well you know what you felt like to lose your wife and baby."

"Which one is yours?" The man looked at the women.

"The blond in the grey t-shirt." He looked Kenna up and down.

"You married?"

"Not yet. Issues, you know?"

"How long have you been together?"

"It's complicated." Eliot looked at the younger man. "Rangers?

"Yeah. You?"

"Yeah. Black ops mostly but that's just between you and me." Eliot searched the room as he talked.

"Did you leave her to go serve?"

"Not the first time. But my duty took me away from her for a really long time." He glanced at Kenna who was sitting expressionless. Eliot saw her hands stroking her belly.

"What's wrong with her?" Wilder asked.

"She's shutting down." Eliot said quietly. He turned back to the man. "Let the women go or we could lose a few of them to panic."

"I want Cole."

"My name is Eliot Spencer. I want to help you and there is a better way than this. My firm deals in cases like this."

"Doctor's killing patients?"

"People getting away with things they should never have gotten away with." Eliot took a step closer to the man. "Just let them go." The man looked at the women again.

"All of them but the brunette and your girlfriend." Eliot looked at Kenna and the woman sitting next to her.

"And me?"

"And you." Wilder nodded. Eliot went over to Kenna and the younger women.

"I got him to let everyone but the three of us go."

"Why can't I go?" The woman sniffled.

"I won't let him hurt you." Eliot said. "You good baby?"

"Yeah." She smiled and gripped his hand.

"She doesn't look okay." The woman added.

"I'm fine." Eliot stood.

"Okay, I didn't catch your name."

"Private Wilder." The man said.

"Lets get the women out of her and we can figure this out." Eliot stood and went to the far corner of the room. "I got sixteen women coming out Nate. Are the cops here yet?"

"_I called Bonanno and he's on his way. Hardison looped the feed. If you get him out soon we can help this guy Eliot but that's if you get him out of there before the cops get here."_

"I'll do my best. I hate to see a good man's life screwed up for being human." Eliot went to the man. "I got people on the outside that want to help. You disarm this thing and we walk out of here. We go see my friends and we figure this out together."

"I want Cole to pay."

"I got ways of making the bastard pay like you wouldn't believe but right now you gotta start thinking straight. You get caught with something like this your career is over and you'll have nothing."

"I have nothing now." Eliot knew what the man was feeling. He had never lost love to death but what he had lost he thought he never could or would get back again so it was almost the same.

"I know it seems that way but the universe has a way of righting its self sooner or later. Take it from a man who's been there." He looked at Kenna. "Things get better."

"Your people can help me?"

"They're already on it." Eliot said. The man looked confused. "Trust me. I have as much to lose as you do. If this guy is as bad as you say I don't want him on call the night my woman goes into labor." Wilder looked at Kenna. Her eyes were closed and she looked at peace.

"Okay." Eliot let a long breath out. He held out his hand for the detonator and the younger man handed it to him. Eliot handed it to Kenna and more alert than anyone thought she was she disarmed the device as Eliot carefully disconnected the wires from the C4. "You've done this before?" Eliot smiled a small smile.

"A few times."

"I thought your girlfriend slipped into a coma." Eliot looked over at Kenna talking to the woman next to her.

"If this wouldn't have gone the right way, she was my back up plan." Wilder took off the vest and handed it to Eliot. The vent above them popped open and Parker reached down and grabbed the vest.

"Thanks Sparky." She popped back into the vent and was gone.

"One of your friends?"

"Yeah. They pop up here and there. Those sixteen women you let go won't recognize you if you're put in a line up but this girl might. I have Kenna talking her out of it so hopefully we can get out of here and work this out."

"Thank you." The younger man almost looked relieved. "When Julie and Marcus died I didn't know what I was going to do."

"We'll get you through this." Parker came back through the vent.

"Next." She hung with her hair falling just above them.

"Go with her and we'll take it from here." Eliot helped the man in the vent and turned to Kenna who was talking to the woman who had been seated next to her for the hold ordeal. "We good?" Kenna nodded.

"Eliot this is Arianne."

"Hi, nice to meet you." He smiled. "We need to get going. Bonanno is on his way and he's gonna want some answers."

"Doesn't he always." Eliot helped Kenna to her feet and the other woman followed. "You did really good Spencer." She kissed his cheek.

"Would have been better if I was here on time."

"The way I see it you were right on time." He had always been there when she needed him and today had been no different.

0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/

"Okay Hardison, tell us about Dr. Cole." Nate said as the six of them sat around Nate's office apartment.

"Dr. Alexander Cole is forty-two and has been a doctor for twenty years now. Graduated middle of his class from Harvard Med, did his internship at Boston General but bounced around at half a dozen private practices before he settled at the Aurora Heath Center where he has had a spotless reputation as an OBGYN."

"Any complaints at all?"

"Seven. Never at the same practice. The AMA has been investigating him but nothing ever sticks. Julie Wilder's parents are filed papers with the hospital last week but they haven't showed up at any of the hospitals legal memos. His other charges are pending."

"How have these charges been swept under the rug for so long?" Sophie asked.

"Because he's married to Margot Brighten Cole." Kenna added.

"Why does that name sound familiar?" Nate asked.

"Her father is the president of the Massachusetts AMA." She threw the file on the desk and stood. "The bastard married the princess of the medical community." Kenna paced.

"What did your Dr. Baker say about Cole?" Nate questioned.

"He's a chauvinist prick with a hefty patient list longer than most doctors in the business ten years longer. She voted not to hire him but with his father in law connections she was about the only one who saw through his bull."

"What did she say about you?" He stopped her and she looked up.

"Everything's fine. Normal. You know."

"Yeah, good to hear this afternoon's excitement didn't cause any problems." Nate went back to the screens and Kenna turned and ran right into Eliot.

"You need to relax sweetheart."

"I know." She smiled. "How's Wilder?"

"He's good. Parker brought him to her place downtown. He promised to sit tight for a few days till we work this out." Kenna nodded.

"Okay, so how do we catch this son of a bitch?"

"We make the good doctor an offer he can't refuse." Nate looked at the team. "Let's go steal us a medical practice." He dramatically left the room.

"That really is getting on my nerves." Kenna whispered.

"Gotta admit it gives flair to the job." Eliot had to admit. Kenna nodded and they all followed Nate to plan the con.


	5. Chapter 5

Thirty Six Weeks

And

Counting

(Week Forty)

"Hardison, get the hell out of my house." Eliot looked at the hacker.

"You…I told you…it wasn't…"

"Get out." Eliot took a step forward and Hardison turned and fled out the door.

"He really was just trying to help." Kenna said from the couch.

"First he puts a hole in our wall and now this." Eliot looked at the ceiling fan that was hanging haphazardly in the kitchen.

"He'll fix it." Kenna answered. Eliot looked over at her. She had been quiet for the past two days. He wasn't sure if he should be worried or not. They were getting close to nailing Cole and Eliot hoped that they would wrap it before the baby decided it was time to come.

"What do you want for dinner?" He went over to the couch and she was fast asleep. He grabbed the quilt that was over the back of the couch and put it over her.

"Eliot?" He looked up to find Nate standing in his door way.

"Yeah, what's up?"

"We need you down at Cole's office. Parker needs to get copies of all the wrongful death patients."

"Yeah, okay give me a minute."

"Everything okay?"

"Yeah, she just fell asleep and I don't want to leave without her knowing."

"Make sure she has an ear bud close."

"I will, thanks." Nat left and Eliot sat on the edge of the couch. "Hey Kenna." He sat on the edge of the couch. "Darlin' I have to go out for awhile."

"Lock the doors." She rolled to her side and snuggled into the blanket.

"I love you." He kissed her cheek.

"Love you too." She returned not opening her eyes.

"There's an ear bud on the coffee table if you need anything."

"Kay, be careful." She touched his cheek. Eliot chuckled and pulled the blanket snuggly around her. He didn't want to leave her. There was something telling him that he should just tell Nate to wait until tomorrow but he knew when the medical community was involved Nate didn't back down till the job was done. Eliot kissed her one last time and headed out to do his job.

/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/

Kenna drifter out of sleep slowly and stretched. Her arm slipped out from under the covers and the first thing she noticed is she was cold. The second was that it was dark. Very dark. She sat up. As she did a sharp, agonizing pain shot through her. It left her breathless and a bit scared. Reaching for the com on the table her hands were trembling.

"E..Eliot?" Kenna could barley catch her breath. The com crackled a bit like they might have been just out of range. She reached for her phone. Hitting the button she put the phone to her ear. The voice on the phone echoed that all circuits were busy. "You've got to be kidding." Kenna put her feet on the floor. "Damn it Eliot, where the hell are you?" She looked out the window and saw that the snow was falling hard and fast. Hardison had back up power so the lights shouldn't have gone out. Kenna let her eyes get used to the darkness and she went to the door. If the lights were out and the backup generator wasn't working that meant the alarms were out too. For the first time in a very long time Kenna was really kind of scared.

0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0/0o

"Nate, I'm headed home." Eliot looked in the rear view mirror. He had lost the tail that had been following for more than sixty miles. There was not a whole lot of room for maneuvering on the snow covered roads. Nate and the other's decided to stay at a small motel just outside the city because of the roads. It was nearly midnight and Kenna was probably worried about him. Coms and cell service had been down for hours and he was more than a little worried.

"Are you sure you're clear?"

"Yeah, there's not another car on the road. Nate if you here from Kenna tell her I'm on my way."

"You still haven't gotten a hold of her?"

"No."

"We'll start back."

"No, the roads are slicker than snot and I'm barley keeping the truck on the road."

"Okay, be careful and call us when you can." The com started breaking up the farther he got from Nate and the closer to the city. Soon there was no voices in his head but soon there was sobbing.

"Kenna?" Eliot said. There was still a whole lot of static.

"Eli…Eliot, where…where are you?"

"I'm almost home…baby what's wrong?"

"The baby, she's coming."

"Of course she is. It's the worst blizzard on the east coast has seen in thirty years."

"No time to be a smart ass Spencer." Her breathing was labored.

"How far apart are the contractions?"

"FIf…fifteen minutes."

"I'll be there in five minutes."

"Down, down in the bar." She sounded scared. "Mike closed early. The backup generator didn't kick in so…Eliot I can't have our baby in a bar."

"You're not going to have our baby in the bar. I'm coming to get you and we'll drive to the hospital and you'll have her in a nice hospital room."

"If Cole's on call maybe the bar is the best place." She told him.

"Cole won't be delivering anyone's baby for a very long time. Bonanno arrested him on conspiracy charges so it's safe to go to the hospital. I'm pulling up now."

"Hurry." She hissed. Eliot parked the truck in front of the bar and jumped out. He unlocked the front door and headed toward the back steps. He found Kenna on the landing of the steps. "It's about time Spencer." She smiled at him.

"I'm so sorry darlin' it wasn't supposed to take all night." He brushed the hair out of her face. "I'll go upstairs and get your jacket and bag." She was clinging to him, a contraction about ready t start.

"I've changed my mind. I can't do this." Her breath came in pants as she tried to ride the pain out.

"It's a little late for that Kenna." He ran his hands down her arms.

"Go, get my coat…I don't want to have this baby here." Eliot left her alone for less than five minutes as he grabbed her coat and bag. He also grabbed the quilt off the couch just in case.

"Okay, let's get you to the hospital." He helped her up and got her coat on. "Kenna, I'm so sorry I wasn't here."

"You always make it on time." He led her to the door.

"It's a mess out there." He wrapped the blanked around her and he opened the door. Helping her into the truck he got her settled before he went back and locked up the bar. When he got into the truck Kenna was shaking. "Kenna, are you okay?"

"It's really cold." Eliot wrapped the blanket more tightly around her. He looked at his phone to see if he had any signal yet but it was blank. "Where is everyone?"

"They stayed back. The roads were really bad."

"I'm glad you didn't. The closer the contractions became the more worried I got." He pulled away from the bar and headed toward the hospital. There was at least an inch of ice under the foot of snow.

"We went to Cole's office and Parker got the papers we needed to confront him about the law suits. Both him and his father in law are going away for a very long time."

"Did you at least get to deck the bastard once?" Kenna asked as she took a deep breath trying to get comfortable on the seat.

"Yeah, I got in a few good punches. Maybe you'd be more comfortable in the back seat."

"Eliot I think the only place I'm going to be happy is…." The next pain hit her like a ton of bricks. She tried breathing through it but the pain racked through her body like nothing she'd ever felt. She had been shot, stabbed and beaten but she knew what she was feeling now was going to end on a much brighter note but it didn't make it any less intense.

"Breath baby." Eliot reached over and took her hand. "I am so sorry I wasn't there when you needed me."

"Eliot, don't. This job had to be done and now that Cole is out of the way we can breathe easier." The pain subsided and Kenna started laughing.

"What's so funny?" He looked at her.

"I think I just made a bigger mess in your truck than Hardison's slushy." She couldn't help herself. The laughter bubbled out of her. If she didn't know better she might think she was a hysterical at the moment. Eliot looked at her. "My water just broke."

"That's bad right?"

"No it just means you daughter is in kind of a hurry to see her daddy." She knew it could be hours before the baby came but she also knew it could be any minute.

"How close are the contractions?"

"Eight minutes." She breathed. "It could be hours before she comes."

"At the rate we're going it take that long. There's three feet of snow covering the ice we got last night." Eliot looked over at Kenna. Her hair was still wet from the short walk from the bar to the car. The com in his ear crackled. "Nate?"

"Yeah, Eliot. Did you get home?"

"Yeah but we're heading to the hospital. Nate, Kenna's in labor."

"Oh man. How is she doing?"

"I'm hanging in there Nate." She hadn't taken out her ear bud.

"How close are you to the hospital?"

"Staying off the highway its slow going. About fifteen minutes if I'm lucky. Contractions are eight minutes apart."

"Do you want us to head back?"

"NO!" Both Kenna and Eliot said.

"Knowing you're on the road in this will only worry both of us." Kenna said.

"Okay just breathe Kenna." Nate said in a soothing voice. Sometimes it was nice having voices in your head.

"Eliot…I hate to rush you or anything but I think maybe we need to get to the hospital soon." Kenna closed her eyes fighting back the urge to scream. The pain was racking her body with a force she wasn't accustoming no. Hell, no one should get accustom to pain like that.

"Kenna?" Eliot looked over at her. She was clenching the handle of the door like it was her life line. "Kenna, do want me to stop?"

"Get me to the hospital now Eliot." She said almost calmly.

"Kenna, talk to me." He said softly.

"I'm scared." She didn't care that the four other people might have heard her confession. They were family. If she had her way they would all be in a nice warm hospital waiting for Faith to make her appearance.

"I'm here baby." He held her hand tight.

"We're all here Kenna." Nate said.

"Thank you." She said softly. The pain was coming faster now. Kenna knew that they weren't going to make it to the hospital if her contractions continued at the rate they were coming. The snow was falling harder and she knew Eliot was having a hard time keeping the truck on the road.

"Don't get quiet on me Kenna Shane."

"Three minutes." She said her voice tensing.

"Do I stop…or you want me to keep going?" He looked at her and pulled over not waiting for an answer. "Nate, I'm on Beacon and Fairfield. Get me an ambulance."

"I'm on it."

"Kenna?"

"She's not waiting Eliot." She was panting now.

"Tell me what I need to do." He knew the basics; every good soldier knew some first aid but hell who learned how to deliver a baby in the middle of a snow storm?

"Slide my pants down. Get them all the way off." Eliot shook his head.

"Darlin' there are easier ways for me to get you naked..." He wanted her to smile. Needed to know that she wasn't going to shut down. The small smile she gave made him breathe a little easier. Undoing her boots he threw them on the floor. Genially he pulled her flannel pajama pants down and off. Turning on the dome light and he took a deep breath.

"It's not like it's the first time you've been down there cowboy." He looked at her.

"The last time I was down there a kid wasn't shooting out of you so can the smart talk." He moved the blanket aside.

"What do you see?" She said feeling another contraction coming on.

"Our kids going to be a brunette." Eliot started getting worried. He knew a lot about a lot of things but delivering a baby, his baby, was one of those things you just never expect to do.

"That close huh?" Kenna said.

" Yeah, that close." He looked around the truck. He grabbed a couple of pillows and a blanket from the back seat. They had gone up the farm a few weeks ago and had left them in there. Now he was happy he did. "Okay I'm gonna get the back seat ready because I can't work with the steering wheel just hang on okay."

"Yeah, you do what you have to do." Kenna panted.

"Kenna, its Nate. Helps on the way. They're having just as much trouble getting around then you did so it might take awhile. I know you and Eliot can do this just like I you everything."

"Glad you have faith in us Nate." The pain started. She bit back the feeling she was losing control. Eliot came around and opened the door.

"Come on sweetheart." He lifted her out and put her in the back seat.

"I'm sorry about the seat." She clung to him.

"I was planning to trade her in anyway." He sat her on the back seat and she pushed herself back. "How far apart are the contractions?"

"Let's just say it's one long suck ass pain." She gripped the back of the front seat. "Eliot this baby is going to be here in like two minutes and I don't think I'm ready." She looked at him.

"Again, a little late to change your mind honey." Eliot grabbed the first aid kit from under the seat and grabbed some gloves. "Breath through the pain sweetheart. I know that sounds a really crappy idea at the moment but it's all I got."

"I knew I could count on you Spencer." She looked at him. "I guess we can't do anything normal, can we?"

"I thought we got you pregnant in a pretty normal way."

"In a bar parking lot behind the dumpster is normal?"

"Well if you decided that's when it happened." He felt her relax a little. "Let's not tell Faith that's how it all happened okay?"

"Deal."

"But now I know. Guys over sharing." Nate said. Kenna started laughing and Eliot turned a shade of red that Kenna had never seen before.

"Hey, Nate."

"You'll be glad to know that everyone else has gone to bed. I didn't tell them what was going on or there was no keeping them from starting back."

"Good thinking." Eliot told him. "Kenna, how's it going?" He felt her legs tense.

"This is it, cowboy." The pain was in evident in her eyes but she wasn't giving any more away. Her breathing was labored. He had seen movies where the woman screamed and cried with the pain that was racking her body. That wasn't Kenna.

"Just tell me what you need me to do." She gripped her hands around her thighs.

"Just don't drop her." Kenna smiled. Her breathing was more labored than ever and she pushed. The scream that left her was something he would never forget. Tears fell from her eyes.

"Push baby, that's it." Eliot moved closer and let his hands guide the baby. "Okay Kenna she's coming out."

"Make… sure… her airway is… clear." Kenna panted. He did as he was told and he felt her tease even more as the contraction hit her hard. She pushed and the baby's shoulders came out. "Eliot…." Her hand clamped onto his shoulder and her nail bit into it.

"I got her Kenna…" Eliot told her as he eased the baby the rest of the way into the world. "She's beautiful." He laid the baby on Kenna's stomach. The little girl let out a wail.

"You…need to …tie the …cord." She reached over and pulled the blanket over the baby and held her close. Eliot dug in the first aid kit and found a suture kit and got the suture string and tied the cord.

"Hanging in there girls?" He looked up. Kenna was looking down at the child on her stomach, tears in her eyes. She nodded. "We're not done darlin'. You think you got one more push in you?" He whispered. Kenna nodded. Eliot heard the ambulance in the distance. Kenna held the baby close. The last push shouldn't have been the most painful but it was."It's almost over baby." The ambulance pulled up just as Eliot finished with the afterbirth.

"Eliot?" Kenna reached for him.

"I'm here darlin'." He came next to her.

"We did it." She whispered. Eliot looked at the baby lying on her mother's stomach. Head full of dark brown hair grasping onto her mother's finger.

"Yeah…we did it." Eliot touched the baby's head. The sound of the paramedics didn't break the spell.

"Nate?" Kenna whispered.

"Yeah, I'm still here."

"Tell everyone Faith is here and she's okay. We're all okay." She looked at Eliot. The three of them were a mess but Eliot knew that Parker would want conformation so he took his phone and took the best picture he could and sent it to Nate.

"She's beautiful Kenna." Nate told her. "We'll be there as soon as they can get us plowed out. Eliot, take care of our girls."

"With my life." He answered and turned off his com and took Kenna's out of her ear before the paramedics came to the tuck. "Kenna Shane I love you." He leaned over and kissed her. The little girl lying on her stomach squeaked. "I love you too Faith Valentine." Eliot let the paramedics take over and he slipped out of the truck.

"Hey Kenna, you can't do anything easy, can you?" The younger paramedic looked at her.

"You know me Jack, gotta have a little excitement in my life."

"Angie is gonna love this." He helped her out of the truck and onto the gurney. "How's daddy holding up?" Jack looked at Eliot standing in the falling snow on the other side of the truck.

"I think he may make it." Kenna smiled. They loaded her into the ambulance.

"Eliot? You coming?" Jack asked.

"Yeah." He grabbed his jacket out of the truck and locked it up. He got into the ambulance and shut the door. "How are they doing Jack?" Eliot watched the man work on Kenna.

"You want to cut the cord?" Eliot nodded. Handing him the scissors Jack shifted the baby and showed Eliot where to cut. He cut the cord and Jack wrapped Faith tightly in a warm blanket and handed her back to her mother.

"You both did a great job. On the delivery and on the kid. She's beautiful."

"Thanks." Jack smiled. Eliot looked at the sight of his daughter in her mother's arm and he thought he just might be happier than he had ever been in his entire life. He leaned over and kissed Kenna and ran a hand over Faith's brown hair that was standing straight up. The sound of metal hitting metal jarred Eliot out of his thoughts. He felt the force of the crash a second later and instinct threw his body over the woman and child next to him. The ambulance shook and before he could take another breath the vehicle shifted and flipped sending supplies and passengers flying. The last coherent thought he had was that this might end up being the worst day of his life.


	6. Chapter 6

Thirty Six Weeks

And

Counting

Nate saw Eliot standing in front of the nursery. He didn't know if he had it in him to walk the ten or so feet to check on his hitter. The hospital wasn't the place he would have chosen to be right now but Eliot needed him. Walking slowly he made it the last few feet before Eliot looked up.

"You could have waited at home."

"I'm fine. How's Kenna?"

"Pretty banged up but we're all okay. Jack the paramedic broke his arm and the driver…he's in surgery."

"What happened?"

"Snowplow ran the light." Nate looked over at the baby next to the window. Her eyes closed she was sleeping soundly. "Where is everyone?"

"I made them wait in the lobby. I wanted to make sure you were all okay."

"The doctor's examining Kenna." He looked at the baby. "Faith is fine. Seven pounds two ounces."

"She's a beauty." Nate patted Eliot's shoulder. "Should I call up the troops?"

"Sure. I should get back to Kenna. She's in room three eighteen."

"Okay, see you in a few minutes." Nate nodded. He watched Eliot walk down the hall. Things were going to change in there world. Nate hopped for the better.

o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o

"I think she was in a little bit of shock when she came in but she's resting comfortably now." The doctor told Eliot.

"She never lost consciousness."

"That's good. Jack told me your quick thinking kept the three of you from getting tossed around more than you did."

"Yeah well I've been hit more ways then I want to recall. It was just instinct."

"Well you did everything right tonight Eliot. I heard you have a beautiful daughter."

"Yeah, she's really something." He looked through the door. "Thank you for everything doc."

"I'm keeping both of them a couple of days, just to be safe." Eliot nodded.

"She's not going to like that."

"Well you'll just have to keep her from giving the nurses a hard time." The doctor left. Eliot went into the room. He knew that Nate and the others would be there soon but he couldn't bring himself to wake her. She said a lot of things last night. Things that he wasn't sure she would want to remember.

(Flashback)

"Kenna, baby are you okay."

"Faith?"

"She's fine baby…she's right here." Kenna looked at the baby and nodded. "Jack's a little beat up but I think we're all okay."

"What happened?" Kenna asked.

"Plow hit us doing about fifty. We're lucky we only flipped twice and landed back upright." Jack answered.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this." Kenna closed her eyes.

"Stay with me baby." Kenna lifted the baby and handed her to Eliot.

"I wasn't meant to have her."

"Kenna, sweetheart, it was an accident." He looked at her. She was shaking.

"NO!" She opened her eyes and there was anger and fear in their brown depths. "No Eliot. Accidents are once in a life time events that can be chalked up to fate or whatever. Not things that happen over and over telling you the choice you made in your life aren't the ones that you should of made." The sound of more sirens echoed in the darkness. "It wasn't meant to be." The fire and rescue workers were all around them then. Eliot held Faith close and let the EMT's take care of Jake and Kenna.

"Eliot are you okay?" Jake was next to him. "Is the baby okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine." The baby started crying and Kenna didn't even look at the child. "Shhhh, darlin' daddy's here." He held her close and her crying subsided. He had pulled Kenna back from a lot edges lately but the one she was teetering on now may pull them both over and there would be no one that could pull them back.

(Present)

"Hey, sweetheart." Eliot took her hand in his. "Kenna?"

"You're here."

"Where do you think I would be?"

"I don't know." She looked at him.

"Kenna, we're all okay. Nate and the others are on their way up here to see you and Faith."

"Could you tell them to come back?" She turned her head to look out the window.

"No, Kenna. I'm not going to let you do this. That plow driver had been on the road for at least eighteen hours. It was an accident. Nothing more nothing less. You have a beautiful baby girl waiting down in that nursery to see her mama and I will not let you shut her or your family out."

"I'm not shutting anyone out, I just gave birth in the back of a truck and got run over by a plow, I'm really not in the mood." Eliot shook his head.

"Kenna, just give them five minutes." There was a knock at the door and a nurse brought Faith in.

"Someone's hungry." The young woman pushed the bassinet around to the bed. "Do you need some help getting her situated?"

"No." Kenna whispered. The nurse handed her the baby and Eliot watched her stiffen. This was going south faster than anyone would of guessed. He stepped closer to the bed.

"She needs her mama, I need her mama." Eliot took her hand. "Shit happens to us all the time and we bounce back. We get through it. Don't shut down Kenna, not now. I know how easy it can be to do but we've got a family to think about." He touched the little girl's hair. "Give it chance Kenna, that's all I'm asken'." She looked at him. Maybe he was right. Some thing's just happen and she needed to get over it. Kenna adjusted the baby and let her start feeding. "See, it'll all work out." He sat next to her on the bed and ran his hand over her hair.

"I'm sorry." She whispered as they watched their daughter.

"Nothin' to be sorry about darlin'. We all need some time to adjust". There was a knock at the door. "You think Faith is ready to meet the rest of the family?"

"Is anyone ready to meet them?" Kenna smiled. She pulled up the sheet over the her. "Stall them for a few minutes."

"You got it." Eliot got up and went to the door. "Hey, guys. Kenna's feeding the baby for the first time and she needs a little privacy. Three heads nodded in understanding and Parker just looked confused. "Fifteen minutes, okay."

"Yeah sure. Everything else okay?" Nate asked.

"Right as rain." Eliot smiled. "Hit a little rough patch but I think we're over it. The doc wants to keep them for a couple of days just make sure everything is okay."

"We can come back tomorrow if it's too much."

"Don't even think about leaving Nathan Ford." Kenna called out. Eliot chuckled.

"Guess that's your answer. I'll come get you when she's done eating."

"You do that." Eliot went back into the room. Kenna was watching Faith as she nursed.

"That's the most beautiful sight I've ever seen." He looked at them. Kenna looked up.

"Your such a liar." She smiled. Kenna moved the baby to her shoulder and burped her. "You can let them in if you like." Eliot nodded and went to get the team. Kenna put the baby on her knees and looked at her. "Don't let them scare you. At first they're a little overwhelming but I promise they will love you just as much as daddy and mommy." Kenna smiled when Nate, Sophie, Hardison and Parker came into the room.

"Are you sure it's okay?" Nate asked.

"Yes Nate its fine." They stood around the bed.

"She looks like a little version of Eliot." Parker smiled. "She even does the eyebrow thing." Everyone laughed. Kenna reached and took Eliot's hand. It was going to be hard to make it all work but somehow they would. Nate watched as his team fussed over the new addition. He could explain the addition of the paramedic with special forces training to the team but how could a baby be explained if a con went wrong? Right now he didn't care. The looks on his teams faces was all he needed to justify the new addition. Eliot looked up to see the smile on Nate's face. It was the first real smile he'd seen on his bosses face since Sophie had gotten sick.

"Did you pick a middle name yet?" Hardison asked.

"Yeah. Guys meet Faith Valentine Spencer." Parker's eyes lit up.

"Really, you named her Valentine."

"Faith Valentine. And we want the four of you to be her god parents." Eliot looked at their friends.

"Us?" Sophie asked.

"Is there anyone else in the room?" Kenna looked at Eliot.

"I'm thinking this is the first time we've rendered these people speechless." She said. This was her family and together they would make Faith the happiest kid in the whole world.

The End

O/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o/o

Thank you to all my friends who stick by me and put idea's in my head!

You're the best!


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